Satsang Seva Journal

The Karjat-Neral belt, on the outskirts of Mumbai, comprises ten connecting villages where villagers make bricks for half the year and the rest of the year they toil in the farms. Their challenges are manifold: meager earnings, poor living conditions, scarce basic amenities, and inadequate connectivity with the city.   Team SSM Mumbai visited every home in these ten villages on the 27th of December and handed over 125 blankets not only to the brickmakers but to some daily wage workers and old laborers who were carrying heavy loads.    The villagers were overwhelmed that the team members had noticed them and given them these essential items. Their genuine, grateful smiles brought home clearly the pivotal role of seva for Team SSM Mumbai and affirmed their commitment to such endeavors in the days ahead.

Nestled away in a quiet corner of Palghar – a two-hour drive from Mumbai – the Maratha Life Foundation at Jambhulpada renders yeoman service to people who are abandoned by their families. This foundation is the result of the tremendous dedication and motivation of Sri Lokhande and his team who selflessly help the old, infirm, socially outcast, and underprivileged by giving them the respect they deserve. Team SSM Mumbai has been associated with this foundation for the past five years and supports it regularly. With the onset of winter, the team members decided to provide the inmates with essential items to combat the bitter cold: bedsheets, sweaters, and jackets with hoods.  The inmates were delighted to receive these thoughtful gifts on Christmas. The team members also celebrated this joyous occasion with them by distributing freshly prepared chivda , biscuits, and tea.  The team members were filled with immense joy and delight that they were able to offer this seva which wa...

The last nocturnal outing took place in Andheri and Santacruz on Christmas eve, the 24th of December 2021. The SSM team members had distributed 7 blankets earlier in the day to a couple of shivering watchmen, maids, and municipal workers in their own neighborhood given the sheer need for the blankets. Later that night they distributed the remaining 12 blankets. As they approached Santa Cruz, they spotted a mentally-ill man ‘camouflaged’ between two concrete columns of an overhead bridge. They gently woke him up and gave him a blanket. Another man who was sleeping at a bus-stop asked for food as he accepted a blanket. When the team members offered him some chocolate instead he was rather satisfied with it and gladly accepted it.  Others who received the blankets included an old woman and her dog; a woman who immediately covered her sleeping son with the blanket; a banana seller; and a few homeless brethren who were using miserably thin bed sheets as they slept on the bitterly cold p...

Team SSM Mumbai undertook the second nocturnal sortie on the 23rd of December, 2021 in Andheri and Mira Road, Thane. The team members distributed 10 blankets well past midnight with the intention of spotting those who really needed a blanket and thereby do justice to the spirit of the Satsang Seva Mission. They spread out a blanket over a homeless man who was struggling to stave off the cold. Having driven through the Mira-Bhayandar highway without finding anyone to offer the blankets to, they arrived at the Mira Road railway station. Several people were sleeping in the entrance hall and the team members managed to spread blankets over 6 of them who were all fast asleep and who snuggled into their new blankets quite instinctively.  Other recipients included a young contractual employee of the railway sanitation personnel; a couple of rag pickers; and a menacing drug addict who demanded that the last blanket be given to him ignoring the pleas of an old, destitute woman who wanted it...

Team SSM Mumbai stepped out on Christmas eve, the 24th of December 2021, in the LIC/IC neighborhood in Borivali West, Mumbai with 15 blankets in hand in quest of the needy and less privileged who live there.     There were plenty of pavement dwellers, a small group of gypsies, and young girls selling Christmas wares. The team members identified and picked out the really needy ones and lovingly draped blankets on a couple of the pavement dwellers who were sleeping.      One of them woke up and his eyes welled up with gratitude when he saw the blanket.     They handed out a few blankets to an elderly gypsy woman and a little boy who came forward and insisted on having one for his brother. The look of joy on his face was so endearing!     As they were leaving they gave the last two blankets to two young girls seated on the curb, their hands filled with Christmas wares.      Their hearts were filled with gratitude as they promised ...

" By serving somebody, you are actually doing nothing. The person whom you serve is giving you an opportunity to evolve. You are not giving anybody anything. If you don't, somebody else will provide. Nature's law is that they will receive it somehow. We should have this in mind when we serve people. " - Sri M As the winter chill turns harsh with each passing day, Team SSM Mumbai decided to  distribute blankets at the Guru Gorakshanath Mandir at Vahal, Navi Mumbai.  The temple trust and other associations offer annadanam to the people of Vahal village every Thursday at this serene, verdant venue. During the annadanam seva on the 23 rd of December 2021, tokens were given to 125 families to receive their blankets. The team members distributed the blankets along with biscuits and chocolates to the children who had accompanied their parents.  The temple trustees appreciated this endeavor and expressed their gratitude to the team members for having supported the local comm...

With a severe cold wave sweeping over Telangana, Team SSM Hyderabad received a request from the manager of the Sri Krishna Goshala at Kokapet in West Hyderabad to provide the employees with warm woolens to combat the bitter cold. The need was immediate given that the employees rise at dawn to milk the cows in a lush, open space.  The team members arrived at the goshala at 8 a.m. on the 22nd of December, 2021 and distributed 120 jackets with hoods to these employees and their families. The cheerful faces and excited chatter of the children and ladies filled the hearts of the team members with great joy and gratitude for having shared these incredible moments with them. Watch the video here.

Given the severe cold wave in Telangana, the little boys and young men of the Mathru Abhaya Foundation, an orphanage situated in Medipally, Northwestern Hyderabad, required warm woolens urgently since they leave early in the morning for their respective schools and colleges. Members of Team SSM Hyderabad distributed 30 jackets with hoods at 7 a.m. on the 23rd of December so they could step out snuggly ensconced in these jackets immediately. The children posed for a superb group photo while they smilingly expressed their happiness and gratitude. The team members were relieved and joyous that they were able to support these enthusiastic and loving youngsters.

With the sudden drop in the minimum temperature in Mumbai, Team SSM Mumbai set off on a series of nocturnal rides on three separate nights through the neighborhoods of Andheri, Vile Parle, Santa Cruz, and Mira Road laden with 60 blankets for the needy. The team members distributed 31 blankets on their first nocturnal ride on the 20th of December 20, 2021 in Andheri and Vile Parle. As the autorickshaw crawled through the dimly-lit bylanes, they came across a motley group of people with whom they had brief yet warm interactions. A couple of little boys pleaded for the blankets while an old woman who slept under a mound of old fabric, accepted the blanket, and asked for shoes too. A mentally-ill, young man first refused the blanket and then permitted the team members to place it next to him.  The team members then spent a few poignant moments with a lonely widow who subsisted on the meager earnings of a salon and was left only with Rs. 200 to manage her expenses after she had handed o...

The homeless in the Park Circus neighborhood of Kolkata had much to cheer about when they received abundant gifts of warmth from the members of Team SSM Kolkata. The team members stepped out on the streets with mats, bedsheets, blankets, shawls, and jackets at 10 p.m. on the 20th of December 2021. They found several homeless brethren trying to keep themselves warm with meagre clothing and sleeping on the bare cold pavement or on tarpaulin sheets. They laid out the mats, spread the bedsheets, and lovingly wrapped the recipients with blankets and shawls. The sheer joy and gratitude they witnessed was indeed overwhelming. Watch the video here.

The Mathru Abhaya Foundation, situated at Medipally in Northeastern Hyderabad, is an orphanage that provides a safe haven for children who have lost their parents or are less privileged. On receiving a request from the founder to provide school bags for the boys, the team members set out on the 18th of December, 2021  to meet these extraordinary children with goodies: school bags and stationery kits that included drawing books, coloring books, notebooks, pens, crayons, color pencils, pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners, and rulers.   They were greeted with endearing smiles and sweet words of gratitude from the 18 little boys and the 7 young men as they handed out the school bags and the stationery kits. They then distributed juicy, delicious apples as an evening snack and chatted with them about their daily routine and their aspirations. A couple of the young men proudly shared that they would soon graduate from engineering college and look for jobs. Their confidence and ...

With the onset of a bitterly cold winter in Hyderabad, the members of the SSM team decided to distribute 60 warm blankets to the homeless and the needy. On Saturday, the 4th of December 2021, they set out towards three locations: the Clock Tower, Secunderabad; Lower Tank Bund and Indira Park where the homeless and unemployed usually gather in the hope of a meal that is offered at the Goshala or at The Ramakrishna Ashram situated in the vicinity. It was a humbling experience for the team members as they witnessed the dire need of their brethren. Some of the recipients scrambled to receive their cozy blankets and clamored for more. The team members were glad that they were able to provide this much-needed succor at the opportune moment. Yet the pain and suffering of the homeless was so palpable that they felt quite overwhelmed.  The day ended on an introspective note as the team understood that the path to service is laden with innumerable challenges and that the only solution is to ...

Sumati Balwan is an orphanage that is situated at Kondhwa, Pune. It was established by Dr. Sharayu Ghole, a gynaecologist to cater to underprivileged children.  Subsequently, a school was established nearby and now has about 600 students.  Presently, there are 16 young girls who stay at the orphanage and attend the school which is situated on a beautiful hill top and offers plenty of fresh air and sunshine for these girls to grow and learn in a natural setting. On the occasion of the Festival of Lights, Deepavali, the members of Team SSM Pune organized a festive lunch and distributed faral , snacks to these youngsters.  The team members were truly impressed when the youngsters took them on a tour of their home which is completely anchored in Mother Nature. They were extremely pleased to see that the children had built a biogas plant and planted numerous fruit bearing trees and plants to ensure self-sufficiency and sustainability.  The girls learn rock climbing among...

Caring Hands provides shelter to children who belong to indigenous communities such as Paradhi, Bhilla, Laman, Dombari, Kaikadi, Ghisadi, Dhanagar, Vaidu, and Kolhati mostly from the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra. Despite the aid of the government these communities continue to suffer at several levels: social, educational, and economic. This safe home at Pune ensures that these children are given the opportunity to surmount their basic challenges and move ahead in their lives with their heads held high. Having planted about 200 trees on the premises of this home during the monsoon season, the members of Team SSM Pune had struck up a good rapport with the children and the staff.  On the occasion of Sri M's birthday, the 6th of November, the team members  organized a festive meal for these children aged between 5 and 12 years. Most of the children had requested a meal of pav bhaji and were waiting eagerly to share their meal with them. After this sumptuous meal, the team ...

Dange Chowk, Pune is an area where daily wagers like construction workers and porters  gather and are picked up by the supervisors of construction sites. They belong to lower income groups and are completely dependent on these daily assignments to fulfil their basic requirements. On the occasion of Sri M’s birthday, the members of Team SSM Pune distributed khichadi and laddoos to about 200 people. When they ran out of laddoos , they quickly arranged for bananas and handed them out to their hungry brethren.  The recipients were so relieved as they tucked into a bowl of steaming hot khichadi . A young man in his 30s came up to the team members and narrated his woes to them of having arrived in Pune from Madhya Pradesh in search of a chef’s job and having struggled to eke out a full meal in the past three days.  The team members were simply overwhelmed at his heart-rending account and hoped that they would continue to serve people like him.  The recipients showed rest...

In continuation of the celebrations organized on the occasion of Founder's Day, Team SSM Kolkata served a special breakfast of idlis and coconut chutney to daily wage workers and their families on the 7th of November. Most of these workers live under the flyover at the Syed Baba Mazaar in the Hastings Road area. They were simply delighted to receive their special breakfast on a tranquil Sunday morning. The enthusiastic young children of the team members participated in the annadanam wholeheartedly and remarked that they were indeed privileged to have a home to live in and enough food to eat.

The Eera Nenjam Old Age Home in the R. S. Puram neighborhood of Coimbatore provides shelter to 85 homeless inmates some of whom are mentally and physically challenged.   On the occasion of the birthday of Sri M, the 6th of November, which is also celebrated as Founder's Day at The Satsang Foundation, the members of Team SSM Coimbatore organized an elaborate yet simply delicious meal for these precious inmates. The meal comprised sambar, rice, lentils , curry, rasam , kootu , buttermilk, papadom , and payasam as dessert. The inmates were so thankful for the elaborate meal that they expressed their gratitude by showering the team members with many loving blessings.

The main aim of the Mahila Mandal Ashram in Pune is not only to provide shelter to young women but also to build character and give them confidence; expose them to a wider perspective of life; and rehabilitate them so they may lead a normal life with dignity. On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, and the celebration of the birthday of Sri M on the 6th of November, Team SSM Pune organized a breakfast of steaming hot idlis , sambar , and laddoos . The team members participated in this seva with great gratitude and expressed their willingness to support these young women in the days ahead.

Renutai Gavaskar is an eminent social worker who has established a a residential school for children of sex workers and poor families. On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali, Team SSM Pune decided to organize a special dinner for the precious inmates of this school. The children had already sent in their request for vegetable korma made 'hotel--style'. They were thrilled to enjoy this special dish along with the other delicious preparations that the team members served to them with much love and care. The mouth-watering gulab jamuns simply melted their hearts and they urged the team members to share these delectable sweets with them. The team members were overwhelmed and grateful that they were able to have served at least one meal to these children. They expressed their desire to return and support these little ones.

The members of Team SSM Chandigarh organized a langar or a community meal to commemorate the birth of Sri M on the 6th of November 2021 outside Gate 4 of the PGI Hospital. The langar comprised halwa , rice, and lentils. There was an endless stream of about 1500 people from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Besides the patients and their attenders, the nursing staff, daily wage workers, mendicants, autorickshaw drivers,  rickshaw pullers, and passers-by partook of this hearty meal.  The team was also able to serve about 200 people at the Gurudwara situated inside the PGI Hospital and a homeless family which resides on the hospital premises.